Development of a self-propelled capsule robot for pipeline inspection

Abstract

This paper introduces a current research project carried out in the Robert Gordon University for developing the prototype of the vibro-impact capsule robot for pipeline inspection. The project aims to address the technical bottlenecks which have been encountered by current pipeline technologies with a particular focus on oil industry. In order to verify the concept, a dummy capsule prototype with a diameter of 80 mm is designed and manufactured for testing in a 2.5 meter long section of 140 mm nominal diameter clear PVCu pipe with a flow velocity up to 0.3 m/s. By using the experimental test bed, the prototype of the capsule system can be tested at various flow rates, and the experimental results could be used for comparing with CFD simulation results for optimization.